Tangled Up In Me
by You are my Math
Summary: oneshot#8: apparently, screwing him is not worth the headache, especially when he leaves her love bites to prove his point. Now, she has to wear a choker to cover it up for a whole day. Or a week. SuiKa. AU.
1. 01: The Nile

**01:** Because, who the hell would want to date an obnoxious girl who takes satisfaction on kicking a vending machine? No one, of course. Except, for him, but he is denying it.

AU. Disclaimed.

* * *

 **The Nile**

by: you are my math

 _\- Denial isn't just a river in Egypt -_

In between all those snap backs, rude comebacks, insulting nicknames, Suigetsu knows he had _really_ fallen into a deep, deep shit trap called love.

/-o-/

 _She is never worth the wait_ that is what he mutters in the deepest corner of his mind, as he strolls around the room concisely catching a sight of the red headed woman kicking the vending machine.

He twitches, annoyed. She will never be worth the wait. _Never in a billion chance she will_ , he counters, reasoning out. Why would her? She has never been classy, and pretty. Besides, she has a twisted personality, which he despises the most. But, at the same time, takes his amusement on the ride.

 _"Why is this thing not working again? Give me my can of Coke!"_

Usually, he will approach her, tease her, annoy her, insult her, and give rude comments at how stupid she is, but right now...

He walks off, gulping down the thought that creeps down his spine.

The thought that tells him to approach her.

He dismisses the way how his body slightly betraying him, and actually doing him a favor. Of course, the sight of her doesn't nearly take his breath away, it doesn't. Nor, the idea how her menacing voice rings through his ears like a stupid, eerily music. That's poetic, and he thinks it's completely off, and idiotic.

He shakes off his head, hardly averting his eyes to elsewhere. He slides down next to Ino, who greets him sweetly. Smooth, this is the ideal girl that he will be glad to take his move whichever the day is. Class, pretty, smart, heart-fluttering personality, unlike someone he knows.

Say, of all the girls he comes across, and of all the idols that flock at him, she is the closest he has ever made a connection with, no doubt, _she_ is only the very person he lays his eyes on.

"Maybe you should help her."

He snaps back, glancing at Ino beside him. He raises a brow at her.

"You've been _staring_ at her." She nods at the pissed off woman across.

He snorts derisively, looking at Ino like she had gone mad, till he drifts back his gaze to the red haired. "What? Pfft, me?" He shrieks, almost even stuttering in the process. "O'course not." Although, her sentence is clearly a statement, he finds himself wanting to deny it.

"She's kicking it off again," Ino notes, chuckling.

"She's always like that, it's no surprise." He teases, mused, leaning over the table. Somehow, the nagging thought is killing him again, he curses underneath. His gaze briefly cascades over the woman afar, before looking back at his favourite girl, Ino.

"The only thing surprising here, is you." He watches as the blonde grins slyly, and something within his instincts & sharp-witted nature tells him that it's a bad thing. There's nothing of it, of course, if there's one thing he figures, that would be the fact that it's only meant to be worse. Of course, why would she grin like that to him?

He slips it off, chuckling. "Is that because I'm sitting here with you?" He cat calls, subtly flirting with the blonde. He means, who wouldn't flirt with this gal? She's cute, and supermodel. Damn. Unlike someone he really, _really_ knows.

But Ino seems to get off the hook, her eyes glistening knowingly. "Yes, usually you're off teasing her. _What's the prob?_ " She coos, nudging his ribs. And that is when all those thoughts he keeps, swats him in the gut, eagerly wanting to be acknowledged.

But he laughs it off, _what the fuck_. "Karin's a troll. I'd rather sit here with you, gorgeous." He whistles lowly, grinning when he notices the barely noticeable small tint of red in her cheeks. _Bingo!_ His grin widens, as he snoops with her more.

Call him flirt, playboy, but he ain't gonna slip this chance to snag a kiss—maybe—with his crush. He means, c'mon. She's pretty. And, she is his ideal girl.

But that is only that, a small blush of gratitude because of his compliment, nothing more, and nothing less. She doesn't even make an effort to slide back, and his quick advance clearly doesn't cow her.

He halts midway, when she seems unimpressed, leaning down on his arm, and he lets her speaks instead. "Already figured out you like her? You got that James Dean daydream look in your eyes."

He scoffs, momentarily having internal lapses. "As if. Who would want to date a freak?"

" _You_." She instantly counters.

And somehow within the depths of his soul, he feels the flip, the gut twisting shit that eats him alive. He grins anyway. "I'd date you instead." He says, lowly whistling, easing the feeling that nearly takes him as a whole. Who the hell would want to go out with someone as obnoxious as the woman who takes muse on kicking some vending machine? Girls don't do that. Even Sakura wouldn't do that.

"Flirt." Ino mutters.

He stumbles, and laughs at her, only to be welcomed by someone whose first remark is to piss him off the edge. "She has probably taking out her frustration on the poor thing. I think you should help her out, Suigetsu."

He flicks his head to see Sai standing behind Ino. He frowns, as his dreams shatter down. "Here comes the lame white ass." He mutters darkly, earning a hit on the arm from Ino.

Sai looks down on the scene beneath him. "I think it is not nice to flirt with someone else's girlfriend."

Before Suigetsu could retort a year worth of insulting comebacks, he is suddenly cut off short.

"Hey! Ino, do you mind lending me the English handouts?"

He instantly averts his gaze to the woman approaching them, he sees as her face gradually crafts into a scowl when she sees the very sight of him sitting across to where her seat is supposed to be.

"Nope. I'll give it to you later." Ino replies.

He rattles for any possible logical reasons to slip away. Somehow the thought of her sitting across to him is something he doesn't like to deal with right now. He usually doesn't give a flying crap, but this time feels just…different. She is too much of a bitch to start off. It's Monday for crying out loud, he doesn't want to add anymore bitch to the day other than the Monday itself.

So when Karin slides down to the seat in front of him, casually giving him a glare in the process, like it's the usual thing to do in the morning that is when he finally loses it. He curses, as to why his chest suddenly beating in a strange rhythm he isn't fond of. Or, to the idea that he is feeling sort of agitated.

The pit of his stomach crunches down, giving him a strange reaction, and he is surely not going to venture to speculate about butterflies in the stomach. _Fuck no!_ So with such urgency, he blurts out. "I remember Sakura doing me a favor!" Uncool.

The three of them look at him, baffle.

"Sakura is absent today, right?"

 _Oh shoot_ , shit for brains. "Exactly, she is absent because of the favor. She's doing it." He rummages through their stares, fortunately, he is quick to think. "Sayonara."

He briefly looks at Karin to find her staring at him also, the mere sight of her is bothering, at the least. For once, he never would have thought that his gut feeling will ever knock him this much. "Damn it woman, it's Monday, and you already look like a fucking shit." He grins, as he scrams off, never forgetting the fact to leave it all intact—like, say, leaving Karin a one _hella_ insult about her looks today.

He wouldn't want to be seen as a walking see-through, so he settles for his in character personality.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Karin bellows, riling up, completely oblivious to Ino's shrewdness, and Sai's empty smiles. Suigetsu has always been the only one who can piques her vital point to any slightest provocation, so easily like one, two, three.

The blonde leans down, dazzlingly daydreaming. "You threaten his obvious composed feelings."

But Karin isn't quick to catch her friend's metaphorical reply, which leaves her glaring to the direction of where Suigetsu had disappeared. But somehow, her friend's boyfriend's flat reply might be the sole reason as to why her heart suddenly made a flip.

"I think he means you look beautiful."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, I have started myself a series of one shots about SuiKarin; a tribute actually, because of their chemistry.

Be nice, and leave a review. They are greatly appreciated. Stay tuned, loves.


	2. 02: Late

**02:** He terribly knows that she is a mistake he wants to take a risk.

AU. Disclaimed.

* * *

 **Late**

by: you are my math

\- _He will realize when it is too late -_

Because who would have thought that he will fall for you?

/-o-/

And so he says he won't romanticize heartbreaks—ever in his life—because it's like forcing to be alive when you have died…

Until, he sees her.

The holder of his heart; the kiss and tell of his actions; and his thought of nothing lasts forever.

He knows it won't be the same anymore. He knows it will be a privilege to him.

But along it…he terribly knows she is a mistake he wants to take a risk.

"I'll accompany you home." He offers, whispering beneath the shadows of his uncertain feelings.

She smiles, and refuses it. He insists, as he holds her hand.

But she let go as soon as his feelings overwhelm the best out of him.

And, he wonders why the pain is so intoxicatingly beautiful. Does he enjoy masochism?

The pure bliss of pain envelops him, but he refuses to consider it, thinking that she's just afraid to take the risk…that unbearable risk of falling in love with him.

He feels it. He's not smart for nothing, and so he feels it.

As soon as the train crosses, he dares himself to utter.

" _I'm sorry, I didn't realize you call."_

" _I have things to do…"_

" _I think I must've fallen in love with you,"_

A pause, as the train passes from their sight, and as the silence fills the space again, he continues.

"I'm sorry."

She looks at him, perplexed.

For that moment, he stares at her. _Does she hear it all?_

She isn't pretty like any other girls, but she has something within, and he thinks he won't risk the chance of letting the others know.

She is wonderful, feisty, independent, special, but not pretty.

She is…beautiful. So much, he loses himself.

"For what?" She didn't hear it, and he silently wishes she did.

Because when ego plays its role, there's no turning back than to take all the outcomes.

It's only a matter of crossing the line of life and temporary death.

"Nothing." And he can't figure out why his heart suddenly made a leap; why his chest suddenly tightened; or why he feels agitated—incomplete.

He wonders, does she really love him all this time, or is it just him who assumes that it is all real?

Maybe it's all about lies.

Maybe it's about how well you play the game.

Maybe it's all just an act.

Maybe it means to entertain their friends only.

He doesn't know. The assumptions wound him.

His lips are unable to open and his throat is dry. He can't say a word.

All this time, maybe he isn't just really that smart to even realize it.


	3. 03: Love Letter

**03:** The least thing he expects is for her to receive a love letter. "I would never thought boys will grovel at your feet." He only thinks it is just a stupid prank, but why does he feel more affected than he shouldn't have when she suddenly goes on a date.

AU. Disclaimed.

* * *

 **Love Letter**

by: you are my math

 _\- Compared to my love, yours is just an understatement -_

Ever since that day she receives the letter, everything about them changes—feelings grew, realizations came into the picture. Nothing is the same anymore.

/-o-/

There's no way someone will give her a love letter. Suigetsu thinks this is just an utter bull.

/-o-/

 _ **If only you could hear me shout your name, if only you could feel my love again, the stars in the sky will never be the same.**_

Those are the words written in the paper full of intricacies, when he discreetly peeks beside the woman before him. He chokes on his own saliva, seriously taken aback. The words are cheesy, and full of metaphors, he thinks it's so stupid. One moment, surprise is an understatement to him. Second, he is actually laughing.

Karin throws him an indignant look.

"You know that may just be a prank!" He barely settles down, speaking in between his laughter. "I wouldn't put it past you really."

But Karin pays him no heed, as she stares longingly at the paper she is holding. For some reason, she wants to consider the thought that maybe this is just a prank, or whatever the hell it is. But then again, the only person who can pull an annoying, nerve-wracking crap of prank to her is none other than the stupid a-hole standing beside her.

So, she doubts this is a prank. Okay, it might be, but she reconsiders the idea that there are still those brave souls. Besides, no one will dare cross her line just to pull a prank. She beats people, if that's a reminder.

"I never would thought boys will grovel at your feet."

Usually, she will just dismiss this off, thinking this is some cliché high school romance—one, that wouldn't last long enough till college or even a lifetime. But this time, she wants to give this one a shot. Of course, she likes Sasuke, but the dude seriously has a thing for her friend, Sakura. So she thinks it's good to goof around, not literally, but why not give it a chance.

Or somewhere along that line.

If this one doesn't work, then so be it. There's still plenty of _fish_ in the sea.

"Don't tell me you're actually falling for that shit." He counters, perplexed, when he hardly receives a snap, or a smack from her.

She is quick to give her attention to him, glaring, and snarling something. "Shut up, _Shark Boy_."

He whistles lowly, as though her almost dreamy look of Juliet doesn't amuse him. He crosses his arm, diverting his gaze to the paper. "It looks like a lame ass song lyric." He teases, grinning when he saw her riling up, boiling, and readying to fly off her fist.

But Karin knows better, so she slides it off. And, somehow Suigetsu feels this small tug of slight disappointment.

"I swear if this is one of those pranks you like to shit around, Suigetsu. Heaven knows." She threatens, voice unwavering, as her eyes narrowing to the very person who likes to provoke her till she reaches the peak of the highest place in this world.

He chuckles, throwing her an impossible look. "Think whatever you want, I ain't gon' write you a year worth of metaphors for a love letter."

She whirls around, annoyed. "Well, you better be." And then that is what she says before she departs.

He raises his brow, not tearing away his attention to her just to see the mere sight of her gently smiling on the love letter shit she's holding.

/-o-/

She thinks it's cute, and romantic to have a bouquet of daffodils left inside her locker. She thinks it's thoughtful when she finds the back of her locker's door filled with sticky notes with each of them either has a sweet pick up line, or good morning messages to boost for the day. And, she absolutely thinks it's cool when the whole campus hears her name blasting from the speakers of school grounds, paging her. Surely it's her secret _admirer's_ schemes.

But he thinks it's disgustingly creepy. How does this creep ever get her locker's passcode?

He always begs to differ when his eyes always flicker on the group of girls flocking, and squealing, and giggling to where her locker is every- _fucking_ -morning.

"She gets flowers again. I wonder how long that'd last." Juugo joins in, watching a group of teenage girls giggling over something stupid, Suigetsu thinks.

At first, of course, it seems okay to him. No one will take her way too seriously, thinking it is just really a one _hella_ prank. At the same time, of course, he is occasionally noting that they're too shallow to be happy over a bouquet of flowers. So, he swallows the very entertainment brings upon by her friends, or even the whole school body.

But as days drags on, and on, _and on_. He finds himself getting annoyed to it.

Every morning he has to deal with it.

He figures, it is way too serious to be just a prank. C'mon, he doubts the fucker, who spends a wad of cash just to afford a bouquet of shrubs, and sticky notes, is a beggar. So maybe the dude's really serious, and well-damn rich.

Either that, maybe he owns a huge garden on his backyard.

He winces; somehow the idea of her being courted by someone is severely disturbing.

"Flowers don't suit her." He says, almost even sulking, unaware of his surroundings.

Juugo catches that, and flatly asks. "Should I consider that declaration a good thing, or bad thing?"

He shrugs, sneering, hardly finding an exact answer to call out.

Ever since this secret admirer of hers came into the picture everything just seems to flip upside down, even Juugo notices that huge change. She rarely snaps at him, rarely snarls when he makes a rational comeback, although, of course, there will still be times, but that only happens when her swings is at the terrible state.

Her hits, although it is still fucking painful, they aren't like they were before. It's a scratch if he'll ever compare it to the previous ones he gets.

It seems as though she doesn't give a flying crap anymore, because if it can be prevented she will most likely walk away from it.

But what really hits him right across the gut is the fact that she never talks about how she despises him so much with her friends like she usually does, rather, she talks about how lovely her Prince Charming, who disguises as her biggest number one fan, is.

Suigetsu thinks she is better off liking Sasuke instead, rather than some guy he barely knows. At least, when she is head over heels with Sasuke, he can tease her, and she can actually fall for it.

"Hadn't she known that she is being pranked? I can't wait to see her face once she realizes that!" He laughs, as he heads down to his first class.

But of course, Juugo knows better, he knows that his friend just misses all the attention given to him.

/-o-/

There are only few things he likes, and one of those is yoghurt.

The one he is holding is the last piece, luckily, he gets it, and is about to pay for it already. So when Karin's suddenly snatches the little piece of heaven that he only has right now, and pays for it immediately before he slips off a cash, that is when he finally loses it.

"I'll take this thank ya!" She says, grinning happily.

"You son of! I'm about to pay for that already." He reaches for it, but she has quick reflexes.

She has been on a good mood, lately. Why wouldn't she? "Well, you're too slow to slide a bill to the counter." She whirls around to save it from his grasps.

"Hey! You know what manners are, right?" He counters, hovering to her from the back, as reaches for his yoghurt with both of his hands.

"Yeah, I know, and I say you're too close, dumbass!" She snaps, shrugging him off to the side. "Move!"

He rolls his eyes, as he inches forward. "Just give it back, and I'll move."

He's unexpectedly calm, and he doesn't know why. Maybe because he doesn't like it when she is in a total different mood and one hundred percent of it isn't because of him, or any of his pestering.

"I paid for this!" She tucks out her tongue at him.

So he tackles her, snaking his one arm around hers from behind, and successfully restraining her left arm, while his other arm reaches up for her arm which is holding the yoghurt.

She shouts at him. He curses at her. They fight. She wriggles against his hold. He blocks her escape. So she swings her head backwards and head butts him right across in the nose. He grimaces, but still, at least, he finally able to reach it.

But as instantly as he holds her in his arms at that moment, he withdraws, and just stands before her.

She scowls, snapping her head to the other side with all the pride that she has, as she crosses her arms over her chest, ignoring his contemptuous smile.

He scoffs derisively. "You do have the potential of being a snatcher."

Karin gives him a sidelong glance.

Suigetsu shrugs, tossing the yoghurt midair but catching it right on time. "If you want this, then go ask your prince charming for one. Since we all have this unwritten rule of first come, first serve."

He thought his words sounded bitter than he would expected, but that's beyond the point.

She watches him departs gradually, her sidelong stare boring a hole on his back. She is left wondering what just happened.

Usually, he will grasp every bit of opportunity just to make fun of her, but right now he flatly dismisses the chance. For the eleven years they've known each other ever since kindergarten, this is the first time, she has seen that kind of expression on his face, as though he felt…betrayed. Or hurt.

She is just playing though. She never knew that he'd truly get offended by it.

It's not like she cares, of course. But the used of his words are somewhat offending.

/-o-/

"Dude, what on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Shh, shut up, dickhead! You'll blow me up!"

"What? Why the hell are you wearing a face mask?"

…

"Were you planning on spying my cousin?"

"Of course not! What the fuck, man! Who would do such thing for that troll?"

Naruto shrugs. "Well, why else are you here?"

"I'm waiting for my chance to screw this up! Better yet, I'm waiting till that jerk loses it. He won't last long."

"Why would you do that?"

"To kill time, man! Now, shut the hell up, she's here."

Time practically drags on.

And everything is going smoothly on Karin, and her oh-so-prince. While, of course, on his part, he's doing his very best to subtly ignore the red-haired freak. _Subtly_ —since he doesn't want to be seen as a weirdo for avoiding her out of the blue.

Their interaction idled to a halt, thinking that he might be bothering her in a way that she wouldn't really, _really_ like it, not that she likes him pestering her, but this time it just feels different. So it most likely stops, until…

That was Monday to be exact.

Before he knows it, he is standing right in the bleachers area of the football field. There's nothing really to note or special about that day, except the fact that he finds himself stopping midway from retreating down the field just to watch a certain someone gets confess to.

There, they stand on the ground, as the guy declares his foolish admiration to the woman in front of him. Suigetsu gulps, even though he is internally insisting himself to withdraw from the scene, and although this sudden action violates her rights as an individual, the words somehow didn't reach him.

That time, he knows, something within refrains himself from breathing. He doesn't know why. But the bitter truth of her getting a confession from someone, just hits him hard right across the chest.

The tingly feeling is so unsettling that he is eager to destroy it.

So when he hears those idiots spill the beans about her going on a date, it leads to _this_.

The blonde bends down next to where he is. "Whoa, she's pretty stylish today."

"Pfft, she looks nothing more special."

But no one can ever explain why his heart suddenly fleet on a high speed chase when he sees her. _Really, dude? Really?_

Naruto nudges him on the ribs. "Oh, that must be right? But this's really the very first time I've seen her having a good time. Don't you think?"

"Well what do you expect? This is the first time someone actually dared to date her."

"Yeah, but see that face? She's really smiling, dude! She's my cousin but I've never seen her do that!" He points out.

Suigetsu narrows his eyes. "She's faking it. Why the hell you do not know your own cousin?"

"Then that means you know her better than I? What might probably be the reason, hmm?"

Of course, that is eleven years worth of fights, it's only natural for him to know her, it's not like he's paying extra attention to her more than what her own cousin is doing. It's not like that. No one does that to their mortal enemies. He really just became accustomed to her presence that is all.

He throws Naruto a death glare. "Don't you have anywhere else to go other than here, you fucker?"

"I'm going on a movie with Hinata, but she's not here yet. So…" Naruto seems contemplating but even so Suigetsu instantly beats him to it.

"Well, go somewhere else first. You'll expose me!"

"He-hey! Stop shoving me! I'll get my ass off your business." Annoyed, Naruto stands up, dusting off his pants from the dirt. "Geez, dude this is no way to treat your girl's family member."

"What the heck are you saying?"

Naruto barely snaps him a glance, still tidying up his outfit all while muttering darkly in between at how Hinata will see him looking like a total crap. "You should chill out sometime a while, you're like Sasuke when jealous—aggressive, possessive and all that shit."

He twitches. "Man, are you stupid? She's not my girlfriend." Now, that the little cousin plays the role and finally gets his attention, he doesn't think that the blonde will get any further away from this, not till Suigetsu makes his dealings to him crystal clear.

It should be easy.

Naruto raises his brow. "That's kinda the point. She isn't, so why are—"

But it isn't.

"Look man, I don't like her. She's not my type—" he cringes, somewhere deep within tugs him down onto the ground. "—I like hot chicks, not her. I don't like overbearing and sharp-tongued girls, I like Ino that girl has class, unlike that red-haired freak." It's nothing but an honest answer, _really_.

"Dude, you're insulting my cousin."

He smirks. "If that's how you see it, but I'm just describing her. Besides, no one will go for a hag. Pfft, I'm just testing how long that guy will last. He clearly doesn't like her, I think this all is just a prank."

Of course he knows it isn't.

"Oh, I guess you know it better than I, huh, Suigetsu?"

 _Shoot_. He knows he's ready to fly off to some place when he hears the oh-so familiar voice rings through his ears. He winces at the thought. The thing that only runs in his head is how he jut wants to settle down in his couch and play xbox instead.

Things had escalated way too fast. Either that, he still holds on that line of hope that he didn't just get caught-in-the-act.

"What are you doing here? Are you trying to screw my date?"

He is quick to rummage through a rational response, while maintaning his nonchalant self, although, he somehow doubt himself on that, as he shifts around to meet her very presence standing two meters before him. He couldn't put it quite well on why his palms suddenly became sweaty.

He gulps. All he ever realizes, but still will not admit, is the fact at how exclusively dressed she is for her date today.

She never does that. There may be times, yes, but this time, it really feels different.

"Why are you dressed like that?" He tries to dismiss her sudden interruption, but shoot. He never thought those will be the first thing he'd say. He knows where this choice of words are coming from, and deep down he feels agitated.

Nervous, huh?

"What? Of course I'd wear something special for my date!"

He wonders why?

Suigetsu sniggers, almost even laughing contemptuously. "You call that dress special? The only special thing about here is your undeniably terrible look!"

He digs down, wondering on the answer. Why? His words always slip through involuntarily as though it demands no consent.

"What!?" She shrieks. He discreetly notes, when she inches forward to where he stands, completely leaving her date behind. And, somehow, that stupid action she makes eases him. "You jerk! It doesn't have anything else to do with you! Leave me alone, would ya?"

"It does. Everybody here does, I mean, c'mon, who likes to see a wandering troll here? Be mindful, woman!"

"How dare—"

"Hey, I think you're below the belt, cut it out. Will you?" Her date interferes, but Suigetsu ignores his plea.

"See, woman, even he agrees." Although, he reconsiders some of those words.

"Didn't you just heard what I—"

He immediately slips off his leather jacket, and tosses it to her. "Wear that! You look stupid wearing that dress! It doesn't suit you!"

He couldn't find the answer. He just moves.

Naruto watches amidst the confrontation, instantly catching the small, _barely_ —(if it is still right to even describe that on their situation)—noticeable _between-the-lines_ language.

Suigetsu hardly glance over again, when he exits the scene. She didn't say a word, and he didn't think he would ever want to hear it if ever she does. All that ever runs through his head is that how equally similar what he felt were right now to when he watched her get confessed to on that day—that the same thing when something precious to him fell.

He wasn't able to catch his heart from the process of falling.

/-o-/

Two weeks passed since that incident. The days seem to drag on, and it feels like it has been a very, _very_ long time already since they last talk. Well, indeed, it has really been a long time already if he also recounts the time where she constantly ignores him prior to that infamous date she had.

But Suigetsu has been really doing his best to ignore the stupid feeling he had realized but never will admit. He has been spending most of his time with Ino, at least. After all, she is his _ideal_ girl, _right?_

"Oh, Suigetsu?" Ino. "It's very unlikely of you to be here." Somehow, he couldn't find himself to agree on his _idea_.

"Oh? Hm. What's up?"

"Nothing, I'm actually waiting for Sakura here."

"Oh?"

She leans down. "The view from the rooftop has always been my favourite."

"Really? Me too—"

"You know, I've been really good at reading people's mind, and I say, it is very unlikely of you to be here. Don't you hate melancholic places?" Who says he's sad? Of course, he isn't. He is just tired. It seems as though that is the perfect word to describe himself these past few days.

"Who told you that?"

And, to be franked, he doesn't want to deal with this talk.

"Karin." He quickly refers his attention to her. Quick but subtle, as he doesn't want to be seen as desperate as he is trying to resist to. "Have you guys talked already? Both of you have been doing a great job of ignoring each other. It's quite impressive, but actually stupid."

Well, he's just giving back the favour, he tells himself that. If she won't talk to him, then he won't either. It's not like she cares anywhere near like he does, too. He won't anymore pester her like he usually does, as there are much, much better things to shift your attention to than to her.

It is pride over matter. But of course, it's not like he had admitted himself into a defeat already. He won't do that.

"Although, I s'ppose she's been doing good. And you, on the contrary, isn't."

"Pfft. Good at ruining someone else's life? I send my regards to that dude. He's too busy putting himself in a damned-hole." He still sounded bitter, but he refused to swallow that stupid thought. He is basically telling an honest opinion, and it may sound absurd and derisive, but he won't, and never in a chance, consider it bitter at all.

"You wish it was you? Aren't you?"

He hasn't even made a rational comeback to deny what he actually felt when she hits the bull's eye, as Sakura calls out for Ino.

"Ino! There you are, I've been looking for you! I thought we're gonna meet up in the field? Oh. Hi Suigetsu!"

"Yes, I didn't forget." She walks to Sakura, as though she hadn't lectured someone.

"Geez. We're you guys talking?"

This isn't his thing at all, he didn't like to be lectured.

But just as he thought that he could already get away with it, as both girls are about to head out, Ino glances over. Slyly, she spills. "Oh, another thing, Naruto says Karin hasn't given a proper answer to her suitor yet. I think she's hesitating or something." She shrugs, the bit of her words, and knowingly sound of her voice knows what's up.

She looks at him, smilingly. "I don't know, I just think that might ease you down. See ya around, Mr. Denial!"

He just find himself staring blankly on the space, and even though he isn't focused as he was before. He heard them conversing along the lines of lighting up that infinitesimal hope he has within.

"What was that for?"

"For our friend maybe, who knows."

A door shut, and a sigh. And somehow, he gradually finds himself smiling. "Who says I need some help?" He tells himself.

/-o-/

The walk from school to home takes longer than it usually does everyday. He insists the day isn't gloomy like he is right now. It is just a very, very long day. Literally. Maybe because he is too caught up on what he just caught a while ago. At this rate, he might as well give in to his own pride, and accept that he is just really... empty.

And jealous.

Maybe if he goes along with the flow, just maybe, her smiles or scowls she usually gives to him might be worth the sacrifice. He almost wants to agree, it might not cost him much in return, _too_ , _right_? "Stupid! Of course, it would!" He kicks off his shoes, as he slides down the door. "I'm home."

"Ah, right on time, Su—"

"Ahhh?" One second, he was mouing, the second, he just didn't know what to do. "Why the hell are you here?" He puts aside his mother's endless scolding—too caught up on the red-headed girl sitting on their sofa.

"Suigetsu! What are you blabbering? Karin has been waiting for you! Look at the time, it's late. Where have you been sneaking out, huh? She's 'bout to go home, you apparently wasted her time waiting for your indolent bum to even go home! Walk her home as a payment!"

He narrows his eyes, annoyed. "You waited for me all this time just to order me to walk her home? What kind of twisted mind was that? Man, I just got home."

Karin didn't put it past him, of course, she still thinks that he is still in his best drama queen attitude. "Don't worry, I can manage." She gives him a sidelong glance in return.

"See? She is perfectly capable of sending herself home. Pfft, have you forgotten that she is a violent type?" He mocks derisively. And something tells him that it just feels right, till he gets a swat on the head by his mom.

"Ow! Why did you do that for?"

"Stupid! Where did your chivalry go? What a disgrace, I didn't raise an idiot!"

She smirks, muttering darkly underneath her breath. "I don't think he ever had one."

He glances at her. "I heard that one, hag."

She practically rolls her eyes at the familiar nickname, as she tugs his sleeve to drag him out along with herself. "That was kinda the point. Let's just go. C'mon, you're being difficult."

She looks over her shoulder to Suigetsu's mom. "Thanks for having me, auntie."

"Sure, sweetheart. Come and visit again, okay? And make sure that idiot sees you off to your home." Karin just laughs it off.

"Sweetheart, pfft. Who dares to call you that?" He halfheartedly teases, as he tidies up his pulled down sleeve, somewhat avoiding her subtle glances she throws at him. For some reason, diverting his gaze and trying hard not to get affected by this stupid situation doesn't make this timing any less awkward.

At least for his part. _Shit! What the hell is wrong with me?_

"How come you never become sweet as your mom, stupid?" She walks pass him. The rhythm of their stroll didn't come one after another.

He watches from behind, her back is composed, and nonchalant. He merely shrugs, putting his hands behind his head. Somewhere in between, this action has always serves to infuriate her even more, but this time around she just seems... unconcerned. And he, instead, becomes pathetic for countlessly telling himself to be apathetic.

"Well, how would you know, when you're too busy spending time with someone." He instantly directs his focus afar, when he sees her looking at him.

"Asshole, what's that supposed to mean?" He could feel her indignant look boring a hole on him. And, he just wants to beat himself for being openly transparent from his choice of words.

"I meant was, _it doesn't have anything else to do with you._ "

She flinches, seems to be taken aback.

He pauses, glances down at her. She was scowling. "What?"

"It was nothing! Here," She swiftly swings her shoulder bag at front to get something, and shoves it to him. He catches it before it falls the ground. "—I came to stop by to give you this! But I should've known that you're not at home yet. You are so irrational! You insulted my looks and left this disgusting leather jacket to me! Do you know how much it burdens me to carry this thing, asshole?"

"Wow, it took you this long to give this back to me?"

She avoids his impossible look. "Well, because I washed it."

Suigetsu, who couldn't resist anymore, bursts out laughing. He teasingly smirks at her almost crimson red face. "Did you wear it? It smells just like your perfume."

"D-don't be absurd! Who would do such thing? That's disgusting! Just feel fortunate, I even take time to wash it for you, stupid!"

Suigetsu rolls his eyes, taking no regard at almost everything she blurts out. "Whatever. Why didn't you give it back to me while we were at school? Less hassle." _Or do you just miss me?_ He internally slaps himself for thinking that.

"Because, I was busy a while ago."

If he were being honest, he would've said that he knew what had occurred a while ago. He was there for crying out loud. And, he absolutely knew without doubt that this red-headed chic had already gave her answer. Tch. At least, that was what he caught. But because he is the infamous Suigetsu, he will not tell it out loud. He just nods, silently cursing himself for trying to act tough.

"Hey?" Karin calls out. He looks down at her. "Are you really going to see me off? You've never gone this far."

He shrugs off, easing the unexpected tears that form at the brink of his eyes when the event a while ago recreates in his mind over and over again. He curses. The least thing he should be doing is to cry in front of the woman who had gone on her merry way to have a boyfriend.

For a moment, the silence between them is so deafening. It just seems to grow louder with each second that pass. It's just so unusual, and both of them are eager to break it.

"I—" they said in unison.

"Ladies first. So, I'll go ahead."

He snorts. She glares. "I rejected him a while ago."

Taken by complete surprise, his breathe hitches.

"He is such a good boy to be true. He always brings me to a date, always gives me a bouquet of daffodils. But I still think something is missing." She pauses halfway, contemplating. He doesn't know why his inside suddenly churns up, or why his chest feels that huge leap inside.

 _Shit._

"He wasn't annoying unlike you. And he doesn't know how to swim unlike you. I think I wouldn't last long with him. He is just so... boring... If this thing continues, I think I am better off talking with Jūgo or... _you_..."

The last word was incomprehensible. He couldn't think straight, but somehow he just didn't want this to end.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're stupid. Anyway, I'll go ahead from here."

Unconsciously, he raises his hand to bid. "Take... care then."

Karin snorts. "Shit for brains, what the heck is with you?"

He instantly snatches his arm down, blushing furiously from the embarrassment. He never says those words as sincere as what he had just said right now. What is wrong with him? He has lost of breath.

They weren't official. They are not dating. They didn't. And, never will they. She didn't answer him _yes_. He couldn't think of anything other than her words that kept on replaying in his mind.

He couldn't tell why those words had somehow saved him from the brink of loneliness.

All this time he has been assuming things.

 _"Should I consider that declaration a good thing, or bad thing?"_

 _"You should chill out sometime a while, you're like Sasuke when jealous—aggressive, possessive and all that shit."_

 _"It is very unlikely of you to be here. Don't you hate melancholic places?"_

Their words fleets over. Their voices echoes through his mind over and over again, like it demands something in return. Ever since that day she receives the letter, everything about them changes—feelings grew, and realizations came into the picture. Ever since that day, nothing ever really matter at all already.

His mind was blank, but deep down he knew that there is just one person who has been occupying his mind.

He couldn't possibly go back now; now, that he already realized her worth.

 _"You wish it was you? Aren't you?"_

 _I badly wish it was me. I want to be the only reason why she smiles._

He chases after her. "Karin!"

She looks over, unfazed. "Huh? Suigetsu?"

"I..." He ventilates. His gaze not tearing apart. "Just want to say something."

 _To hell all these unfolded possibilities. I can't let this pass, I've rolled the dice. I am certain she will think this as just a joke, but I will say it to her again, and again. I will even write her a love letter if I had to. Even if it takes forever. I will prove it to her._

 _I can't let anyone steal her away from me again._

 _After one second, whether this will have a happy ending or not, I'll just have to see._

 _All I know is that her mind will be filled with the thoughts of me._

"Karin..."

 _Even idiots have their limits._

A hesitant; "I..."

/-o-/

 **fin.**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** (This is kind of longer than it supposed to be.)

Hi, it has been a while. And, no, I'm not yet finish with this SuiKarin fics. In fact, I have tons of fics about them. I told you so I like this couple so much, I need a manga just for them. Anyway, thanks for the favorites and follows. I know this ship has a very, _very_ few onboard. So, I sort of expected this. But for anyone who had stopped by, your reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

Love, ami.


	4. 04: To Figure Where to Stand

**04:** So, what if you started liking the person you hate? Are you going to risk that chance to figure out where to stand in them?

Disclaimed. AU.

* * *

 **To Figure Where to Stand**

by: you are my math

 _\- If both of us don't know where to stand, then why don't we just walk together -_

. . .

He closes the door, thinking that she'd do the same. It's a metaphorical phrase of wanting no one other than her.

/-o-/

He refuses to think that he lost the battle before it even started. His brows furrows, when he catches a glimpse of the woman—who frustrates him that even the word itself couldn't describe what he feels about her presence—from a far.

He pockets his hands, somehow avoiding her, but still ends up looking at her. He doesn't know why she is so annoying—no, not annoying in a way Sasuke would romantically says to his pink haired girlfriend. Not that kind of annoying.

He is annoyed to the fact that she won't look at him, as he does to her.

It's frustrating to think that she constantly ignores him, or tells him to just shut it before he could even say a word. She doesn't even have any idea of what he's going to say. So why is she so overbearing, and rude only to him?

Screw this. Does he have to gain a special ill treatment from her?

"You're a li'l gloomy, ain't cha, girl?" He tries. Regardless of those things he had done to her in the past, he still has to earn that right to be equally treated as them.

She narrows her eyes to him, as she walks pass him. "I'm not in the mood of your pestering, Suigetsu." Granted, he still teases her though, but that's beyond it. Why won't she see him in a way that'd be deserving for him. Or, for both of them, whatever the cost is, it's still a win-win game for both of them anyway.

Just think about it, no arguments, childish fights or whatsoever.

No, it's not like he's admitting to a defeat. All he is just pointing out is, he is in that edge of falling in an abyss of what he calls battle of pride.

Yes, he may not done anything significant to her yet, but he tries to be good to her—a gentleman, she wants. But whatever he does, she always ends up thinking that he has ulterior motives behind those.

He opens doors for her; gives the last piece of that watermelon she craves; asks her about her day or whatever these lame guys always do for their girls. It's stupid to even think about it, yet he's down to do every single thing for her.

He even compliments her look, and although he cringes to every word he says, he assures those are true. Now that he thinks about it, she looks exclusively dressed up every single day, ever since that day he compliments her about her looks.

He even wonders, if she purposely does that for him. He doubts that, but he somehow wishes that is the case.

The only reason why he holds onto that wish is because of the fact that she's not dating anyone.

.

.

.

She wishes it's true, that he really cares for her.

He always do that to her though, ever since... she doesn't know, all she ever knows is that he started doing it. Although, it is just one of his usual pestering to her—that she should've now gotten used to—she can't help but to wish, that deep inside of that facade of his, he cares just as much as she is for him.

But that's just a wishful thought.

She is upset to think that everything is just the same. Their friendship—if it is even right to call what they have as _friendship_ —doesn't go anywhere else far than its own lane only.

He's dense, and stupid, and rude to her. He, sure, won't stop trying to provoke her. He always gives her derisive comments. So, he won't as hell will try to make a move on her.

Or, at least, sees her like that, as she does to him.

It pains her to think, that as a woman, she can't do anything about her feelings than to keep quiet about it. It's not like, she didn't do anything when she was still head over heels with Sasuke, but that _was_ before.

This _is_ now, and it just feels completely different.

She tries to do everything though. She wears more stylish, and revealing clothes, thinking he'd at least notice it. But the first time, she attempted to do so, a drenched jersey shirt full of dirt was slid down to her by Suigetsu, scolding her to at least wear decent clothes, because he wouldn't want to see a walking hag.

That is the second time, she sees him half naked in front of her, after his football game. So when she knows that words are vain at that time, she decides to avoid him. She thinks that's the best action that'd compensate her embarrassed look.

She almost had a hopeful sign at that time, but she doubted it. How can't she? When he chooses to tease her about her looks. He doesn't even look sincere about her. All he ever does is to pique her vital points to any provocations.

He even slides down his jersey shirt, drenched of sweat, to her. How dare him not to even notice her effort?

So, starting that time, she starts to wear more stylish and decent clothes. It only takes her aback, when he suddenly compliments her.

She wouldn't know if it is meant to pursue her—oh, how she wishes—or to provoke her. Either that, he doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who will pursue her, at least, not her though. So, even though how badly she wants to considers his compliment, she settles on what she believes.

Every day, he always ends up doing that to her, it almost seems as though a habit for him now. Why won't he just gets serious to her for once?

He does her good things though, but he's still stupid. He won't read between the lines.

They never argue much nowadays, compared to the last time. She, somehow, thinks that maybe he gets tired of their senseless arguments, maybe he doesn't like to talk to her anymore. But every time she thinks about that, he ends up pestering her, just like now.

"I hate you, go away." She hisses when she sees him walking besides her.

"Awe c'mon, you don't really hate me that much. Do you?" He swings his arm over her shoulders, slightly pulling her close.

Her heart rattles, she glares at him, but she didn't push him away. "I do."

"I like you though—" her breath hitches. "—But I like Ino more than you, hag." He teases.

"I swear, Suigetsu, I'll kick you if you don't leave me alone."

She's so stupid. But so is he.

His actions won't let her figured out where to stand.

/-o-/

 **fin.**

* * *

 **A/N:** I enjoyed writing them. They really complement each other. So, can anyone of you make a manga of them already?

Reviews are the reason why authors smile, so give them some. Till then.


	5. 05: Unprofessional Pretenders

**Of course, the ritual; disclaimed.**

My first ever non-AU fiction, timeline must have been somewhere after the war, I suppose.

* * *

 **Unprofessional Pretenders**

by: you are my math

 _\- Let's play drunk, and tell about what we really feel -_

 _. . ._

Contrary to popular belief, Uzumaki Karin doesn't drink, and Hozuki Suigetsu hates the smell of alcohol. But they'd obliged to even play drunk just to know what they think of each other.

All for the sake of telling? Sure as hell, they would.

/-o-/

Suigetsu is convinced enough to tell that his female teammate doesn't do drinking, if it weren't for the fact of the emptied bottle of alcohol, and a glass shot on the counter, he would be likely to think it that way. He throws the bartender a glance, as though silently asking of what had happened here.

The guy on the other side merely shrugs at the exchange of message.

Suigetsu didn't push the idea, he just scowls hardly having a hard time, he doesn't care for the most part of it, really. But somewhere deep, he is concerned enough to know.

He stares down at the woman sitting on the stool; scrutinising the very outfit she wears. Her face plants down on the surface of the counter, her breathing at ease. She seems to be dozing off. He sighs, he doesn't have a concrete idea as to what to do with her. His eyes travel down the arc of her dress, concisely catching her strap of bra sliding down her shoulder.

He frowns, bending down to slip a finger to hide it against her sleeved dress. It's very unlikely of her to be careless, she usually doesn't portray clumsiness.

"You're lucky I'm here." He mutters underneath. It's not like he's worried or something, in fact if she has been attempted—drunk or not—she will likely to teach the person a hard way, he's just being a gentleman he is, right now.

So it leaves him to think why she's drinking out of the blue. He shakes his head, unsure of what to do, he doesn't want to wake her up, but he won't risk the idea of carrying her back in the room. It's not like he can't do it, but he guesses, she won't like the idea of being touched—clearly, Sasuke is an exemption to that rule.

He rolls his eyes, at his sudden train of thoughts. He taps her shoulder, waiting for a response. But he didn't get any. He tries again, this time a little tougher. But she won't even budge, let alone murmur something like Sasuke's name or something along those lines she usually says in her sleep.

He sighs, getting impatient. "Hey, if you're going to sleep here, you shouldn't have asked for a room."

When he notices that she starts speaking incoherent words, he asks again. "The hell are you saying, woman?" He leans down to her trying to catch what she is saying. But he stops halfway, catching a whiff of alcohol from her easy breathing, he hates it. Absolutely.

She doesn't smell like how she usually smells; hell, she doesn't smell like the perfume he secretly likes. So he hates it.

"Brim me my pilloh..." She murmurs in between her sleep.

He glares at her, why is she even drinking in the first place? He can't get through on what she's thinking. "Get up. I don't want to get your pillow."

She didn't response on that. She let's it be that way. And neither did he repeat his words.

He just silently sits on the empty stool beside her, and watches her.

It's not like she will notice anyway, she is drunk.

.

.

The annoying music in the background doesn't offer him a help, so he's stuck there in his seat as though coercing him to listen to it's broken lyrics. It supposed to be metallic, not some kind of petty love song music. He thinks it's stupid.

He glances at the person beside him, wondering deeply as to why is she yet moving from her seat.

She has been there, face plants on the counter table, unmoved, for half an hour already.

And he's been there, waiting for her.

Well, always—he's always waiting for her. If that isn't yet metaphorical enough, he doesn't know what would that be.

Two emptied bottles of alcohol didn't even make him sober, and he's confident to say it at least.

For whatever reason she's drinking, he thinks maybe it's not bad to join her at least for this day, since there had been a lot of unworthy things that have been occupying his mind currently. And he likes to seize this opportunity to listen to his teammate's peaceful aura.

Or so, he likes to reason it that way.

Karin moves in a bit, trying to find adjustments. She indeed falls asleep, but she isn't drunk, hell, she is completely aware of her surroundings, and even before that time where she asks Suigetsu about her pillow, too. So when she wakes, shifts her eyes to his very figure besides her. She catches him already staring at her, so she quickly responses a rude call out.

 _"Hey you, dummy!"_

Though she isn't drunk as what he seems as though he thinks of her to be, she acts as if she is—refusing the screeching sound of her heart against her ribcage on the process. She wonders why she suddenly holds breathless in his droopy, alluring stares.

He rattles down inside himself, unsure of what to say. He just caught in the act. Maybe if he'd act as though he's completely out of his sanity, maybe, just maybe, she will buy this one and think he's drunk.

No, scratch that, _she's_ drunk. Well, she seems to be, and he's completely aware of it. So how would she know if he's not, or if he's were?

He decides not to hear her, in the end.

 _"Heeey!"_ Karin tries, she notices the two emptied bottle of alcohol in front of him. Maybe he's drunk? _"Suigetsu! Did'cha hear me? I said, dummy! Why aren't'cha responding on that, you, crap for brains!"_

He throws her a glance of exasperation. "Shut up! Though am drunk, you still look like a troll." Maybe he goes down below the belt at that one. He secretly wishes he could slap himself hard.

"What?!"

" _Youuu_ heard me, ain't ya?"

She throws him a punch, and he isn't even aware of the warnings, but he didn't burst into water. It is as though trying to catch the full force of her momentum. _"Why the hell, are youuu like thaaat?"_ Her voice falters in between, she seems like she wants to cry.

 _"For once be nice to me! For once, for pete's sake! I always expect that maybe you would treat me as a woman, you idiot!"_ Tears started to form at the brim of her eyes, and Suigetsu is left wondering as to what he just did.

 _"Youuu treat those women in the inn—"_ she points out to the door through the hall of the inn they are supposed to be staying at this point of time, _"like you're a real mannered idiot, and yeeeet, you won't comply to do the same for me! What is wrong with you!"_

And because he thinks she's drunk, and a mess, she thinks, maybe, she could get away of what she really feels right now.

For he is drunk, too, maybe she could tell him how much she despises it if he's treating the others right, and won't do the same thing for her.

He won't remember it anyway, right? He had two emptied bottle of alcohol, anyway.

 _"You wooon't look at me,"_ she throws him a handful of force, before speaking through her emotions. _"Why wooon't you look at me!? Cha'really think I ain't gon notice it? Boooy, you're oblivious af!"_ She knocks her chest, shifting the subject to her own self. _"I know ya better than ya think, water boy!"_

She really has to stop now, she is being obvious, really. She has to gather herself all at once, but she won't slip away this chance to say what is ought to be said to him now.

She hates him with no utter consideration!

He keeps on looking away, and won't even give an ear to at least listen.

He's indifferent, and she hates it.

"What is wrong with me..." It's soft, almost even barely. But, somehow, he catches that. And, it isn't even a question, it's merely a statement to start off, but somewhere there he eagerly wants to response on that.

So even if it were against his action, his will somehow knows that he needs just that.

So when Karin raises her fist to throw again a handful of force against his arm, he bends down to catches her lips with his.

It's a one way to shut her up, and he isn't called smooth mofo for nothing. So he seized this one. She tastes like alcohol.

They stay there like that longer than he could've think so, cause he's certain he wouldn't last long enough after what he's done. But it didn't happen—what he's thinking, it didn't happen. It's forceful, and smooth, he even has a hard time resisting the urge of slipping a tongue through. He won't make it that far.

He likes it romantic, and simple, contrary to what they say about him.

When he let go, the first that comes out of his mouth is, "for pete's sake, too, I'm fed up of your annoying voice, hag."

Different expressions run through her flustered look—annoyed, embarrassed, breathless, name it, for he is sure as hell he has seen it.

She blushes even more.

 _Bingo!_

He terribly knows she's just faking it, she should've known from the start than to start a drama, because he sure is going to mention it in front of her with no hesitations or so.

Which he sure does after their lip to lip—which he enjoys really—contact with one another.

"By the way, you should've said that one to me straight, you don't really need to act cuz you suck at it, Karin."

If it's even possible enough, she still blushes even more.

He hugs her though, "I know you like me more than Sasuke."

She curses underneath. "Don't flatter yourself."

 _ **Fin.**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Tada! I'm updating it because why not? They're my favorite couple in Narutoverse, oh wait, _one_ of my favorite couples, there is. Just hoping people will like them too, but life's not like that. So here's my story, I got this idea somewhere in my blog, really, when I was writing feels and all that angsty stuff. I stumbled upon this quote I made, haha, hence the quote for this chapter which was way written up there—somewhere below the title area.

Happy readings, and leave a review.

 _Suigetsu: for pete's sake!_


	6. 06: First Kiss

_Disclaimed._

* * *

 **First Kiss**

by: you are my math

 _Don't look too far, sometimes people you need are just closer than you think._

 _x._

In which Karin's one and only wish is to be Uchiha Sasuke's date for prom. But Suigetsu's sudden interference ruins everything. Senior promenade is supposed to be the most awaited day of all. Suika, SasuSaku. AU.

.

 **She knows** since middle school that the popular Uchiha Sasuke has harboured some indefinite feelings for that pink haired sweetheart of the school. Kind of cliché, sounds like a Cinderella fairytale—except, she has pink, not blonde hair. Well, as much as she despises that small fact, she still hopes that someday tables might turn.

But well, darn it! Tables don't turn!

This year's prom, too, take for example, is nowhere remotely distinctive from those nightmares that always haunt her every freaking night in bed. Why? That perfect living matter— _'too-much-for-an-ideal-boyfriend'—_ guy's date is none other than that science genius in her class—Haruno freaking Sakura!

She beats back an uproar. She has more class than dwelling for this simple matter. It's just a date, right? Like hell, they're already a thing now, they're not, are they? Karin does a bottoms up on her glass of champagne, red fiery eyes not tearing from those two partners dancing in the beat of this overrated sweet song of _King and Queen of Hearts_.

 _What could possibly go wrong, right?_ She wonders deep more to herself.

She resists to roll her eyes, when Sasuke pulls—what's her name again? She racks beneath. Oh yeah—Sakura close to him, seizing every second he has just to initiate a stupid physical contact with her. She doesn't understand why he still needs to find someone to initiate a contact with, when she is always free, and fast to come to his aid, and—

No! She stops herself from even furthering her mind to it. There's no point of daydreaming of things, because it only goes to show how pathetic she is, that's just borderline raising a white flag—admitting defeat just like that. Just no the hell way.

You see, the girl, that pink haired one—Karin actually likes her, she's bright, a bit friendly, and talks to her occasionally in class, but of course a tinge faint of jealousy can't be shrugged off that easily. Because why not, Sasuke likes her and well, even if he's not verbally honest about it, Karin can absolutely reads through him.

"Darn right jealous? You, obnoxious redhead chic?"

Karin shoots a glare to the man sniggering beside her. "Shut up, ass." She hisses, folding her arms across her chest.

Suigetsu didn't hide his amusement about this, glancing over across the crowd of dancing teenagers to see the Uchiha-Haruno tandem being subtly sweet in their own dance. Like hell, they don't give a flying crap who sees how PDA that dance is! He traces back his gaze to Karin, mockingly smiling.

"You're just mad no one wants to dance with you."

She gives him a finger. "Screw you! Who says no one? I'm just too good for them." She defends before she huffs away.

She will not let this day ruin just because the Haruno gets to dance with her precious Sasuke instead of her who, for heaven's sake, even dresses herself beautifully for this event. Or because Suigetsu tries to get to her nerves again.

"Just kidding. Wanna dance then?"

She's taken aback, cheeks immediately turning red. "No!"

"Why not? Geez, you're one hella choosy."

"I'm above pathetic for that."

Suigetsu rolls his eyes. "If you want to get close to them," pointing to the two at the back, "then let's dance."

Karin swallows down the thought. Just because they're dancing, and him already offering her a hand to dance doesn't mean that she has to seize down this chance. "Desperate times don't call for desperate measures. Go away, Suigetsu!" She pushes him away on the stomach by her right hand, by which Suigetsu grabs hold to with his free hand.

" _Shit_ woman," bending down to her, and smirking, "just because you look attractive tonight doesn't mean you have to play hard to get." He brings her hand across his lips before she even finds words to throw at him.

Blushing furiously at the teasing action, she snatches down her hand that is still holding by his. "Stop saying stupid things! You're clearly not the person I'm playing hard to get with!"

"Whatever. I'm bringing you to the dance floor." And with that, he drags her across despite her furious blush, and savage curses underneath.

Once they're in the middle of the floor, Suigetsu makes no, _no_ effort to stay close with the pink haired chic and raven haired Uchiha couple, contrary to what he says to her earlier—much to Karin's dismay, actually.

"Move closer to them, you ass." She hisses.

"Let them be." He moves her arms around his neck, as he settles his hands around the small of her back, intertwining his fingers so she won't go anywhere else but stays here with him. "We have our own." He continues.

Unbeknownst to her, they start to sway in the rhythm of the song, too. Realising this, she spits out to say, "what are you doing?"

"Dancing, heck, you're too noisy just go along, will you?"

"I don't want to dance with you." She hisses back almost instantly, pushing him away. But he knows better than to let her slip past him, so he pulls her closer to him, smirking triumphantly on his win at this one. "I swear you jerk, I'll—"

Before she even gets to register what happens next, he drops down his head to hers—because even in heels she's still much, _much_ shorter than him—enclosing the minuscule spaces that parts them between, and his lips—her heart lounges—meets hers in one gentle chaste kiss. When he let goes, he almost wants to throw himself into a fit of hysterical laughter.

But he beats it back, because of the mood. "You'll what?" He teases; smirk tingling across his lips.

And as soon as she gets back from the moon, unable to say coherent words on the process, she still manages to say: "my first kiss," she mutters, fingers trailing across her lips before she bursts out. "That's my _first_ kiss! You asshole! I was saving that one for Sasuke, and you freaking stole it!" She screams, throwing fit of punches on his chest.

And as though in trance of cluelessness, he unconsciously places a hand on Karin's redhead, bringing her closer to the hollow of his neck, and hushing her to peace, because even if she's not a hell of a crybaby, her tantrum is much, _much_ worse than a woman's tears, "for pete's sake, just shut up, will you?"

Surprisingly, she obeys. "But that was my first kiss!" She jeers, before kneeing him in the groin _hard_.

Once he let goes of her to wince in extreme pain she's caused in him, she walks out of the scene, dragging her frenzied heart that seems to get attached at the second he snatches a chaste kiss from her.

With crimson red face, she immediately looks away when she takes a peek over the small pool of her batch mates circling around on that jerk's wincing figure on the ground. Biting back her lip, she orders herself to remain absolutely intact. She couldn't just understand him so much, he teases, makes fun of her for almost every day of her life, he even makes it a living hell for her for crying out loud, and now...

And now...he even crosses the line to do that to her? _Screw him!_ He will not, _not_ do that to her again.

But for some unknown insidiously stupid reason, none of those loathes she says to herself could ever explain why her lips were still tingling.

 _x._

 **Meanwhile...**

"Don't you think that's a tad bit harsh, Sasuke-kun?" A pink haired girl questions, looking concern at one of her classmates lying helplessly on the floor.

Sasuke only shrugs at the innocent question. "Well, would you also knee me if I kiss you now?"

.

 _fin._

* * *

 _A/N:_ my favorite work so far, lol. The SasuSaku tag is just for **this** chapter, on the next one, however, if there's no SasuSaku pairing on it, I will remove it again. I'm just tagging it here because, well, besides suika, there's at least a slight sasusaku too. Sorry for the confusion—or well, the bait...


	7. 07: Just the Girl

_Disclaimed._

* * *

 **Just the Girl**

 _by: you are my math_

 _cause she's bittersweet, she knocks me off of my feet, and i can't help myself, i don't want anyone else_

x.

When flowers don't work, what should a guy give on a Valentine's day to the girl he likes? It should be an easy task, only if she weren't much of a hard to please girl.

x.

She isn't the type that dwells on fairytales, romantic chic flicks, sweet chocolates, nor even fancy the idea of billet-doux. Rather, she's the overbearing type; the type who doesn't take a crap from anyone; the type who makes challenges so intriguing to solve; the type who can pique his composed self at the slightest provocation—yes, she is that type of a woman.

She's the type that can get him into a four-hour detention; the type that cannot keep a secret, because she's annoying, sharp-tongued, difficult, and cruel. She beats bullies, kicks asshole to where it kills most; a leader of yakuza (most probably, he doesn't doubt it); opposite of Sakura; cousin of that idiot named Uzumaki; and loves that bastard Uchiha.

Her name?

Karin Uzumaki.

Ironically, even if she is the type that inspires the vigorous, lone wolf inside of him, even if she has the attitude, and has all the reason there is for him to feel indignant towards her, still, the underlying fact that he deems stupid is, he can't bring himself to—

"I hate you!"

—hate her.

She stands tall in front of him, arms fold across her chest. Ruby eyes bore still against his—she looks unequivocally unimpressed.

"Woman, you must've likened me so much, you can't even control yourself from screwing up my life." He mocks, lips curling into a derisive smirk.

She scoffs, as she rolls her eyes. "Stop joking!" She splutters. "I should be the one saying that to you."

He lifts a brow to her statement; a trace of complacency visible in the way he approaches the matter despite his current predicament. Not that he is oblivious enough to realize the state he is currently in—no. It's just that the thought of annoying her is much more gratifying to see than to dwell on the fact that he is currently tied up on a chair, completely immobilized from any attempts to move.

She leans down on him with her one hand on the armrest of the chair, balancing her weight. "How did you know my locker pass?"

He snorts. "Seriously?" He chaffs. "You brought me all the way here, tied me up, and had your troupes to back you up, to ask me that?"

There's a glint on his eyes; a mischief so discomforting it results for her to glare at him even more. "Shut up." She hisses.

But he pays no heed on that, as he continues, "aren't that a little bit below the belt?" He says. "It makes me want to think that you like me as much as I like you, huh?"

"I said, shut up, Suigetsu!" She bellows. Feeling embarrassed, she willfully steps back, as she feels the heat instantly decorates her cheeks.

"Pfft," he says, as his gaze briefly shifts across the abandoned place.

"Why did you leave your shitty flowers inside my locker?"

He shrugs. "'Cause it's Valentine's?"

She throws him a look: baffled, abashed, flabbergasted, and red. Suigetsu, who by true nature is one hopeless shit, gets captivated at that lapse of enticing sight. Such sight is rare, and he finds himself swallowing the churning void of tinge uneasiness that swelled up on his throat; he curses underneath.

"W-what did you say?" She asks, refuses to acknowledge that she stammers in between the lines.

"It's Valentine's! I had to give you one, since no one else would." He defends, hiding his flustered self underneath his savage self-defense.

"I-I don't care if no one else w-would! I'm allergic to flowers!"

"Are you?"

She eyes him suspiciously. "Yes, I am." She enunciates, each syllable rings through his ears. Tint of red is still visible on her cheeks.

Then, he thinks again. Somehow, he feels guilty, and yet at the same time, he just really feels stupid for considering the thought of giving her flowers on Valentine's Day.

 _But it's the thought that counts,_ he hears himself. _Really, dude? Are you sure?_

"Tsk—"

"Plus, I don't want to accept them anywa—"

"Damn it! That was not worth every penny I spent?"

She shots her attention back to him. "Excuse me? What are you saying?" She asks, annoyed to even try.

And, as if words has been processed through in him, he looks up to her. "Can you untie me?"

Taken completely aback, she retorts instantly. "No."

"Please."

"No."

"Why not?"

Her balled fist finds temporary suspension on her hips, as she shifts her weight unto the other side. "Because you've not answered my question yet."

He sighs. "I just like you. Simple as that."

"Quit playing games on me, Suigetsu! I'm not buying anything you say to me."

He rolls his eyes. "Don't make so much fuss about it."

"Tch, we hate each other. Enough reason why you just had to ruin my life. Now, where did you get my pass?"

"I broke into the office to have it." He shifts his wrist against the friction of the rope, trying to loosen its grasp around his arms. "Now, if I get out of here on my own, you owe me a kiss,"

and there's a pause.

"Or, would you rather untie me with yourself, I swear not to do anything to you."

The smirk playing on his lips, makes the redhead think twice. She doesn't verily trust Suigetsu in some sort, especially when he used to tease her back in middle school, but, for some insidiously stupid nagging thought that she has within, he proves himself to be reliable at some point, especially when he had his lips tight, after he saw her cried for the first time over petty things about Sasuke back when she was still naïve.

And, whether, it is out of fear that he did so, or out of sympathy that he might have had for her in spite of everything—the idea of it is important to her.

Still, she argues, the smile that he has on his lips, doesn't sit right in her.

So, after a moment of inner battle, after a moment of savage curses underneath her clenched jaw, and glare daggers that she throws at him, she eventually relents to him.

She takes a step forward, leans down to untie the knot—

His smirk widens.

—but before she even does so, he has his hand already gripped on her right arm instead.

"Gotcha!"

"What the hell?" She wriggles her arm away from his grip. "You're such a liar, Suigetsu! I should've expected something like this from a jerk like you."

"Oh ho, wait a sec," he says, as he pulls her back to their previous proximity despite her vain attempts to get away from him. "You're quite gullible, huh."

"You're an asshole!"

What a spitfire. He grins. "Just kidding." With his other hand, he fishes on his pocket, "here." He says, as he gives her a small red velvet box.

She makes a highly dubious look at the red thing that he has given to her. And, before she finds the words to retort, he beats her from doing so.

"It's not what you think it looks like—it's just a necklace."

He stands up, hands on his pockets. "C'mon, don't give me that look. Here, lemme put it on you."

"Don't! I'm not trusting you anymore."

He snorts. "Can't you take a joke?"

When she seems unconvinced, he speaks again. "Look, I know you're difficult, but I swear, I'd want you to be my girl."

"S-shut up!" She yells, as the color of her cheeks blush furiously because of the honest words that she rarely hears coming from him.

He is stupid, teases her so much, pulls her hair whenever he likes it, openly makes dark humor about sex (as if she's a guy; she's a woman for pete's sake!), acts suspiciously bizarre by opening doors for her, takes her away whenever Sasuke is there, gives her flavored lollipop that she doesn't like, gives her flowers of which she is allergic from, steals her locker pass, lies to her—

But for some reason, she dares wish that, what he says now is real.

"I swear, if you're lying I'll kill you."

Then she tiptoes, gives him a chaste kiss on the cheek, before she scrambles towards the exit.

Dumbfounded, and lost, Suigetsu was left staring at the woman who, by some romantic approach, had completely taken his breath away in a split second.

"What an actual fuck? Was that a yes?"

"Shut up!"

.

 _fin._

* * *

 _A/N: because autumn has already arrived in my heart, i need to rest._


	8. 08: An Exclusive Item

**08:** their exclusivity has embarked its way to the point of leaving a love bite on the neck of his _favorite_ girl is something other people might call as an act of ownership.

Disclaimed. AU.

* * *

 **An Exclusive Item**

by: you are my math

 _seriously, what are they? more than friends, less than lovers?_

 _xx._

"That won't work."

The redhead casts him a tempestuous look, fixing the black lace around her neck.

She goes back to studying herself in the mirror, subtly throwing a glare in the process to the reflection of a man comfortably lying down on the bed. "Do I look like I need your damn opinion?" She hisses underneath her clenched jaw.

He shrugs. "That won't cover up those marks I left—"

"Shut it! You're disgusting."

Spark from her sharp response, and his mischievous nature returns, as he smirks at her slyly. He grabs hold of the pillow across him, and nestles his head upon it. "Regretting it already?"

"Rubbing it in?"

"I'm true to my words."

It is at that moment, when he lets his mind spews whatever he was thinking that the redhead turns around, and bestows him all the remaining patience that she surprisingly still has for him. "Listen up, you jerk,"

He nods obediently. "You have all my attention, babe." The corner of his mouth curls into a languid smile.

"You are screwed up! This is screwed up! Pretend that this nightmare ever happen! Let's go back to our own lives: me hating you, and—"

"And I, chasing you? Yeah, of course." He interjects, complementing the sentence. He yanks the entangled sheets of the bed off him, revealing his bare chest, as he hops down the bed.

Karin twirls around to face the mirror once again, dismissing the fact that she's just seen him there half-naked. Despite of what they've done the night before, of course, it's still embarrassing to be seen by him looking at _him_ like that.

Hell, she wouldn't admit it even to herself.

Realizing this, the young man saunters his way towards the flustered woman in front of him. Perhaps it's the ego that makes him smile, or perhaps—he stands tall behind her—because, he doesn't know that he really has this kind of an effect to her.

"You can look if you want to." He whispers teasingly in her ear, pressing himself against her back even more.

Her inaudible groan has sent him to beat back himself from taking her in at the moment. When had he been so enwrapped as to almost allow himself to give in to her?

His mind vaguely recalls the night before, and remembers how smooth her neck was against his lips. Impatiently, he waits for her to utter a disapproval, but when she appears to be unresponsive, he allows himself to continue; his fingers run through her red hair, combing it asides so he can blow feather-like kisses on the nape of her neck. Warm sensation immediately crawls beneath her skin. And somehow, all at once, her unspoken compliance, nearly takes his breath away.

Suddenly, when realization knocks her off, she turns around and pushes him away from her. "Move aside, you dick!"

He catches her hand the second it lands on his chest, and pulls her close to him. "Make me."

"Were you even listening to me? Forget this happened." She enunciates.

"So what if I don't want to."

She blushes. "That," she stammers, "that's your problem now!"

He grins, and brushes off the strands of her hair on her face. "See? That's not really hard to admit, isn't it?"

She steps back to retreat, only to be pulled back again by him into their previous proximity. "Wait a sec, Karin, I'm not through yet." He says, mischief in his eyes.

There's barely a breadth parting between their bodies, and heaven knows how much he's doing that on purpose. She could've made a year worth of protest at that, but Suigetsu has already dropped his head to hers. He nuzzles into her neck, makes his way up and gives her a lingering kiss on the forehead.

When he pulls away, he looks at her, cheeks burning in red flurry. He chuckles at the sight of her face. "Lemme tell you, I don't do one nightstand." A pause. "Not, if you're involved." And, as if appearing content to what he has done, he winks at her, and adds, "run along, babe, you'll be late."

"Asshole, you must think you're smooth, huh."

"Oh yeah, how am I doing?"

She laughs. "Barely passing,"

After she assesses herself on the mirror one last time, she grabs her purse, and heads towards the door.

"Hey,"

She swears to beat herself later for stopping halfway through upon hearing his voice.

"I'll see you in Math."

She turns around, bids him a derisive snort. "In your dreams, lover boy."

 _xx._

"Please do remind me again, why Math starts at 8 in the morning?"

A woman with a particularly peculiar hair color sits across to where her best friend is seated. "Ino, it's what Tsunade says—mind exercise. Math is first for a cause." She says, and crosses her legs.

Ino compels to look at her briefly, then groans. "Guess your forehead has its purpose, too."

She spins around to catapult her a glare. "Hey!"

"What?"

Shouting at her friend is beneath of the things that Sakura wants to do, there are more important matters to tend to, and Ino isn't going to be one of them. So she cools down, and narrows her eyes to her. "You're just jealous that Sasuke-kun asked me out instead of you."

"What? That doesn't have anything else to do with..." The rest of her words are left incoherent for Sakura to hear.

" _Whaaat_?" Sakura taunts, smiling at her.

"Who gives a crap anyway?" She curses, baby blue eyes rolling to the thought of a certain man named: Uchiha.

Their conversation is cut off short, when the door slides open, revealing a redhead woman, scowling first in the morning.

"Hey, Karin..." Ino's words trail off, before she finds words on what to say next. "A choker?"

"Good morning, why are you strutting—"

Somewhere across the first row, a loud, boisterous laugh is heard throughout the room, followed by it, is a thunderous tapping on the table. When Suigetsu's mischievous eyes meet Karin's among the ocean of stares that he's getting at, Karin throws him an indignant look, as if to threaten.

"It wasn't even that funny." Jūgo casually states.

"What are they even talking about?" Sakura inquires, glancing over at them.

Ino waves her hand in the air, motioning for Karin to come sit with them. "Trust me, Sakura, you wouldn't want to know."

When Karin has finally seated on her seat, which is beside the window, Sakura grants her a look. "So what's up with that get up?"

"Hottest thing for summer?"

Ino, and Sakura exchange looks for a brief second, before they scoot close to the redhead.

" _Riiiight_." Ino agrees, knowingly.

Sakura shrugs, sly smile playing on her lips. Karin tries so hard not to think so much about it. "Well, you're definitely pulling it off."

"You've dolled yourself, too." Sakura adds.

"You're an eleven on a scale of one to five." Ino teases, just in time that Suigetsu's voice is heard yet again from across the room.

"I second that!" He shouts.

"Dude, seriously, what's up with you?" Jūgo, thoughtful as he has always been, asks his friend. Karin could only sympathize for the big guy, considering how idiotic his friend could turn out to be.

So with a sigh of defeat, Karin, who tries so hard to restrain herself from beating the living hell out of Suigetsu, is almost, _almost_ at her limit. _When will he ever shut up?_ She ponders, strings of savage curses entailing to those words. And then, she hears Sakura, and Ino:

 _"Seriously, something's off, you feel me?"_

 _"Well, Suigetsu has always been so eccentric so... You get the picture?"_

Before she allows herself to hear the end of it, Karin pushes back her chair, and finally, makes her priorities straight. She couldn't careless about her friends' confused looks at her. She stomps off towards the two guys.

 _I'll just teach him a lesson,_ she curses underneath. _Just this once._

Immediately, she is cut off to what she is oughting to do, when the teacher's door flies open.

Gai is already at the heel of the door, and makes his way inside; a glistening grin plasters on his lips already. "Youthful kids, let's all go back to our designated seats, as I am about to begin this day with Calculus."

Begrudgingly, everyone complies, and goes back to their respective seats, including Suigetsu, whose seat is originally designated next to Karin's.

He walks past Karin, who is already giving him the glare of the century.

"Nice choker," he says teasingly.

And as if she's in dire need to make a worthy comeback, she follows his action as he is about to flop himself on his seat now. Before she could even consider a thought or two, she kicks aside Suigetsu's chair just in time he squats to sit on it.

He falls flat on the ground evoking a loud thump sound, which draws a lot of attention from everyone.

Karin's lips slant upward into a saccharine smile. "Thanks, _babe_."

 _xx._

It is at that morning, after their usual 40 minutes break, that Karin hustles to head first to the comfort room to change for her PE clothes. Gym class queues up next to their schedule, she recalls vaguely.

She stares right in front of her reflection on the mirror to scrutinize herself for a second, murmuring savage curses underneath her breath at how she always has to be cautious of her every actions today.

"Screw Suigetsu and his bullshits for leaving a mark." She curses, eyes traveling to the black lace wrapped around her neck; she deems the concept as some sort of a desperate measure that she, unfortunately, has to engage herself as of now.

For a moment, she closes her eyes, let the fury subsides, before she releases a sigh of aggravated defeat. At last, she decides to take the action on hand, so without further ado, she fishes for her concealer in her bag.

"I'd better do this first, before Ino, and Sakura find me."

With her free hand, she undoes the knot of the lace around her neck, and tucks it inside her purse. After one last glance of herself on the mirror, she smears the concealer on _that_ particular part her neck, partially screening the illusion of the mark, but not completely concealing it enough for her to be self-assured later.

Once she looks _almost_ satisfied at what she has done, her ears immediately pick up the sound of laughters at the other side of the door. Frantically, she rolls down the stick of her concealer, stuffs it inside her purse, and—too late—before she even begins to switch her vulnerable self to her usual overbearing front, Ino is already at her heels, leaning over on her shoulder to peek at whatever else she's doing.

"Woah, you're really putting up so much effort now."

Karin rolls her eyes at the comment. "Surprising, isn't?"

"They really should change our gym uniforms into short pants, c'mon, summer heat would be the death of me!" Tenten complains, fanning herself from the heat.

"Literally speaking, yes, heat stroke it is." Sakura states as a matter-of-factly.

Ino hops down from Karin to join the others. "You know what? That's brilliant. Plus, wearing shorts is such a good excuse to flaunt my slender legs."

A look of relief almost washes over Karin's face. Had she been a second later, they'd probably have their suspicions on the line.

Sakura snorts derisively. "Slender, pfft."

Ino ignores her. "Shut up, billboard." She, then, swings her attention to the quiet Hinata at the corner. "What do you think, Hinata?"

Before Karin even commences herself to witness a blushing Hinata, she surreptitiously leaves to change inside the cubicle, her attention, however, glues still to the conversation happening beyond the door.

"I think, I'm okay either ways."

"Good. Because I think Naruto had already dreamt of that day to come." Ino's baby blue eyes twinkle to the heiress.

"Oh my goodness, Ino, how scandalous." Tenten covers her ears, ceasing herself from hearing what entails more to Ino's words.

The blonde shoots Tenten a shrewd glance, her glossed lips eventually finding the worth to speak for its sake. "Dramatic as ever, Tennie. How was Neji?"

Hinata blushes in a deep shade of red.

Sakura splutters the water she was drinking.

"What are you even talking about?" Tenten's high-pitched voice echoes throughout the room, her face, if it's any consolation, has not given her quite the solace in favor of her current predicament.

Ino chaffs, unbuttoning her school uniform. "Relax, I'm kidding. There's no need to put an unnecessary self-defense." She pulls off her shirt, leaving her only in her sports bra. "So, Hinata, did Naruto kiss you yet?" She asks rummaging through her locker for that white gym uniform shirt.

Karin, halfheartedly, listens, smirking at the thought of her future cousin-in-law fainting right exactly where she stands.

"Come on, Ino, why are you even ganging up on Hinata?" Sakura interrupts, lacing up her sneakers. "How about you, huh?"

"For what it's worth, billboard, I am completely stress free—"

"Sai, surely, must be a smooth talker, isn't he?"

"I betcha he is!" Tenten joins in, a wry smile tugging across her lips.

"Or do you prefer the genius type?"

Not even sparing the two girls a look, Ino speaks transparent on her words. "Oh please," her tone colors the fact that she almost wavers from their petty talks. "Are we really changing the topic to me now?"

At the other side of the cubicle door, Karin appears to be finished changing now. She grabs her belongings that were hanging on the steel railing, and goes out.

Sakura shrugs. "I don't know. Are we?" Grinning mischievously at that, Ino's perfectly plucked brow twitches at the sight of Sakura's triumphant look.

"Uh-huh, how bout Karin?" Ino suggests, just in time Karin opens the cubicle. "Have you done it already with Suigetsu?" But as soon as the redhead steps out to the light, she slips, slides, and almost, almost splits right there at that moment.

They all swing their gaze to Karin, who is already fuming beyond words.

"Are you okay?"

"D-Damn it! W-Wet floor!"

"I-I am sorry, was that my fault? I believe that was my—"

Hinata helps her up.

"No, I'm okay. Probably my shoes, they're slippery." Karin says nervously; she rattles for coherency, while trying to drift away her thoughts from what had Ino asked her earlier.

"I have an extra pair in my locker, if you need."

"I'm cool, Hinata. Thanks."

Ino pauses for a second, scratching her chin. " _Sooo_ , where were we? Uh, yeah, Karin have—"

"Can we all shut up about sex!?"

Immediately, the entire room falls into a heavy silence; only Karin's harsh breathing looms all over the eerily quiet setting. And, it is not even a second or two have passed by, when Ino begins to take the center stage again. "We aren't even talking about sex."

Sakura nods, gesturing on her lips. "Kiss. It's first kiss."

Thinking about it, Karin could only hope for one. And that, for the ground to open up, and swallow her alive.

 _Damn it, Suigetsu!_

 _xx._

The rest of the day couldn't get any better, as Mitarashi Anko requires all of her students to run 25 laps back to back at a 60 meter lane, even after an exhausting warm-up.

"You okay?"

Without lifting her head up to see who it was, she answers, heaving a breath, "how much is okay to you?"

He shrugs in nonchalance, "having the energy to sprint 'cuz a certain girl last night gave me all the motivation to do so."

Without a second thought, Karin throws him a huge, full blow of momentum. "Fuck you!"

Suigetsu halts her, catching her clenched fist while it's in the air. "We will later." He whispers, smirking deviously at her. And with that, he let goes of her, as he runs for his last lap.

"As if, bastard!" She bellows, chasing him off.

"Uzumaki, Hozuki enough with the flirting!" Anko shouts from the other end side on the lane.

The whole class engages into a fit of laughter. Suigetsu grins sheepishly at her.

.

.

An eternity, and a century have already passed by, when Chōji, who had been dragging himself throughout the run, has finally stepped a foot at the border line of his last round of draining laps.

"That was fast," Sai's deadpanned comment didn't cut the quota. Perhaps exhaustion really washes over the Akimichi this time.

"Better luck next time, Sai!" Suigetsu calls out from behind, sniggering.

The dark haired guy swings his attention to him. The corner of his mouth creases into an emptied, languid smile. "I'm not sure about the luck that you speak of, but I hope it goes well with you... and, _her_." Sai's eyes wanderingly lands on Karin, before he leaves to mind his own business.

"It's girlfriend!" He aimlessly corrects. "Girlfriend, dude!"

Sai looks over his shoulder, and says, "Basing on how she glares at you right now, I doubt that endearment that you insist of. Either way, I don't see the essence of why I still have to compliment you for winning her favor."

Suigetsu shrugs.

Karin rolls her eyes.

"That guy doesn't go out much, does he?" Suigetsu says, then spews Karin a look afterwards; a glint in his eyes. "But for once, he made sense about you."

Karin ignores him.

There's no point of always taking the bait, after all, if she were to sum up everything that has happened today, she would know by now how fulfilling this day already was for her. Sighing in defeat, she tosses the strands of her red locks at the back of her shoulders. She mutters—"whatever"—on Suigetsu, and doesn't let herself to be affected to whatever else this boneheaded tries to inflict on her.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a white towel was tossed off to her. She looks up at Suigetsu, who is now standing a few feet away from her, and—

"Seriously? What happen to concealing it up?"

Agitatedly, she looks down, and sees the neckline of her shirt falling to the sides, exposing more of her collarbones, and immediately, as what she had been told to, the smudge shade of red mark peeks at the border of her neckline.

"Cover it up, stupid."

Karin casts Suigetsu a look, only to be welcomed by his tensed expression. He spares her a short glance, and drinks from his bottled water. For a moment, Suigetsu's serious attitude paves its way to her, so much so that she could've mistook it for something else.

Slipping past the unbearable fluster, she says her thanks. His towel hangs decoratively on her shoulder.

And then, he narrows his eyes to her. "What would you do if someone else sees it before I do?"

"I..."

"Tsk, just try not to be careless next time."

Completely piques at what he has blabbed, she inches closer to him, pinning him down with her seething glare. "Oh yeah, if you weren't so proud as to give these marks to me, then I would've pro—"

" _What_?"

"This is all your fault, I say!"

Taken completely aback, he starts off, "Oh ho, now you're blaming me, when you wore that lingerie to impress me big time." His voice remains sibilant under his control.

She reaches for his ear, and pinches it hard enough for him to lean down to her. "Well, you should've controlled yourself more."

"How the hell is that even possible?"

"I don't know, self-control is a pretty easy task."

He pulls up, rubbing his ear. "Why do you always have to talk so much? Just cover it up," he says, grumbling, as he enwraps his towel around her shoulders, covering her neck and collarbones in the process. "There, that's more like it."

When he finishes up appeasing her, he looks at her. With her brows almost knitting halfway through, Karin huffs away instantly to hide the blush that crept on her face.

From afar, the figure of their gym teacher strides across the field towards the two of them. A look of slight exasperation adorns her face. "You two," she points out. "How many times do I have to repeat myself that no flirting in my class!"

Karin shoots Suigetsu, yet again, a menacing glance, before she speaks, scathing, "we're not flirting." As she says that, she pushes Suigetsu out of her range.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"I'm giving you the restraining order to be 20 feet away from me, you dumbass!"

"What for?"

"You're making my life miserable!"

Anko places her hands on her hips, and releases a sigh of defeat. "Enough with the love quarrel!" She spins around to the other side where the majority of her pupils are.

"Form 2 groups for a football rematch! Uchiha, Haruno lead the groupings of your class!"

The two assigned leaders trade bashful smiles with each other, before they proceed to do their respective jobs.

 _xx._

The rest of the day goes by.

Apparently, it went by slower than how she usually thought of it to be. Partly, because, of how cautious she really was today.

She sighs, then looks around. At the end side of the _genkan_ , she catches a glimpse of her friend, Sakura, who is currently depositing her slippers to the shoe lockers. Karin contemplates, and then approaches her after a second.

"Sup,"

Sakura shifts her gaze to her, smiling. "Hey,"

"You gonna stop by somewhere?"

Sakura shakes her head. "Nope, I'm tired."

"Good. Wanna go home together?"

Slyly, Sakura grins at her, as if she can read her friend like an open book. "Are you asking me to get rid off Suigetsu?"

"Bull's eye! This's gon' be a perfect reason to get away from him. He's making—"

She nudges the redhead by her shoulder. "You know what? Just let him walk you home, you know you want it too."

Blushing furiously at that, she glares at Sakura. "What are you talking about? Of course not."

"See? You're even blushing—"

"Sakura, what's taking you so long?"

Karin picks up the voice from the other side, she looks up, and sees Sasuke leaning by edge of the cubbyholes, pensive expression displaying across his face.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Karin rolls her eyes. Sakura gives her an apologetic look.

"I... Well, um, we already agreed to go home—"

Karin crosses her arms, and looks at them, unimpressed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm completely no match for a boyfriend. Just go have your merry ways now." She says, waving off her hand to the both of them.

Sakura throws her arms around her, pulling Karin close to her. "Sasuke-kun is no match to you, really."

" _Sure_ , sounds _convincing_." She says, tone of sarcasm evident on her voice. She pulls away, and glances over to Sasuke, and looks back to Sakura. "Get going already, he's clearly the possessive type."

Sakura laughs, then waves at her friend, before she runs off to Sasuke who has already walked away from them. Karin watches in longing eyes, as they depart off, walking further, and further, until to the point that, she begins to question her choices.

"I really should've gone off with Sakura." She whispers, just in time she hears Suigetsu's voice from the hallway.

She sighs, swirls around to meet him standing there, talking with his friends.

He approaches her, grinning.

She readies herself, waiting to those words: _hey, I'll walk you home_ , to be said to her once again. And although, she repeatedly rejected his offer for the umpteenth time already, this time, however, she thought maybe... It wouldn't hurt to accept it.

So, with an expectant heart, she patiently waits in anticipation.

When he reaches her, all she ever hears is her ego crashing inside of her.

"I'll crash at Kiba's, Jūgo's coming with me." He nonchalantly says, giving her a pat on her shoulder, when he passes by.

Her breath catches in her throat. She turns around, embarrassed to even begin that she really did assume for him to say that he'd walk her home today. She catches Jūgo's eyes gazing at her, like he, somewhat, sympathizes for her at that exact moment.

 _How dare he to be so fucking dense?_ "What?" She growls.

Suigetsu spins around, completely baffled. He stops right there when he sees her riling up with contempt. "What? What did I do wrong?"

Karin stands there, unresponsive.

Jūgo, who has been watching the scene in front of him, walks over to where Suigetsu is already standing. The big guy discreetly says, in low voice, "I think, she's waiting for something."

Kiba spares both of them a look, and nudges Suigetsu in the ribs after catching the hidden meaning in between. "C'mon bro, your girl's waiting for you."

Spark from that response, Suigetsu, for some reason, has probably caught up about what all of this supposed to mean now. He strides his way back to her, smiling at her sheepishly.

"Aye, aye, you're not serious about _that_ , are you?"

She's still glaring at him.

Grinning more at that, he drops his head to kiss her left cheek. "There, satisfied?"

Then without further ado, Karin, whose breathing became harsh at the second he kissed her, kicks his tibia bone—hard. "Go have some fun, stupid!" She jeers, stomping off to leave him there to wince in pain.

Kiba's roaring laughter at the background doesn't offer Suigetsu any solace. "Looks like she doesn't like you that much, buddy!" Kiba teases, laughing his ass off.

Jūgo face palms.

.

.

"Hey,"

No response.

"Seriously,"

Step. Step. Yet, there's still no response.

"Hey, look at me!" He grabs her by the wrist. She stops, looks over her shoulder, and gives him a glare. "What are you so mad about?"

She snatches her arm away. "What is it to you now? I'm always mad at you!"

"Yeah, I know that. But,"

"This is how I usually look, now, get lost!"

He stays rigid on the ground, unmoved. "I won't!"

"Fine, then I'm leaving." She walks away, but after a moment, she hears footsteps trailing her again. She peeks over, and sees him. "What the fuck, Suigetsu?"

He halts, shifts his weight unto the other side of his leg. "Are you mad that I'm not walking you home now?"

If it's any indication, Karin abrupt silence, somehow, cemented his wild guess. Then he laughs. "Oh, I see, what's going on,"

Karin flares up.

"Don't be so entitled! That wasn't—"

"Whatever," he shrugs. He picks up her shoulder bag from her grip, and swings it on his left shoulder along with his. He pockets on his hands, and then he looks at her. There's something in his eyes, that Karin couldn't begin to describe. A glint? A mischief? A concern?

It's like that when he kissed her the night before, or like at that time, when she smiled at him for the first time—she couldn't pinpoint what it is.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"C'mon, I'm trying to catch your lines, you know."

Still fuming, she says, firmly, "I can carry my bag."

"You don't have to." He says, and walks away with Karin eventually following behind.

Neither said a word after that, Karin slides it off. But, in all honesty, she doesn't exactly know whether because of the fact that she was taken aback at his actions, or just completely resigned to the notion of him that she can't find the word to fill the space—no, of course not, she argues.

"Why are you doing this?"

He casts her a wry look, one corner of his lips curling up. "Because I want to? Seriously, Karin, what do you think?"

She huffs, clearly annoyed. "I'm not getting any ideas."

He rolls his eyes, as both of them dwell on the comforting silence after that. Suigetsu's steps, for some reason, she doesn't know, slows down a tad. So she catches up to him.

"What about crashing to Kiba's?"

He shrugs. "Guess, you could say, I have my priorities straight."

She curses underneath, when she feels her chest tightens. "Show off." She mutters.

Then he glances back at her reddened face, teasing smile playing across his lips. "I might be. Wanna hold hands?"

Surprised is a gross understatement. The redhead looks away from him, but he waits... patiently, and maybe, cautiously. His hand hovers just across hers.

Eventually, slowly, bit by bit, Suigetsu watches in amusement, as Karin's hand hesitantly reaches out for his. Halfway through, he catches, and pulls it close to him.

He intertwines his fingers with her feminine fingers, and glad, that it perfectly fits with his.

"Still mad?"

Blushing furiously at his words, she buries her face on her right palm. "I hate you."

 _xx._

Meanwhile...

"He's ditching us, isn't he?"

"Most likely."

"Man! He's whipped!"

Jūgo shrugs.

.

 _fin._

* * *

 _A/N: these two need to get married asap. crossing fingers for their cameo as a couple in boruto._


End file.
